Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

A unit funeral for two pilots, Captain (promoted by one rank) Choi and First Lieutenant (promoted by one rank) Park, who died in an F-15 fighter jet crash, was held at the 11th Fighter Wing on April 7.

The ceremony was held at Daegu Air Base, home to the 11th Fighter Wing, with the consent of the bereaved families, and was attended by military officials, including Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Wang-keun, and fellow soldiers.

Mourning the two pilots' death, the ceremony proceeded with a salute followed by a memorial address and fl ower offering. The remains were buried at the Daejon National Cemetery in a ceremony at 4 PM that day, which was attended by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Lee Seong-yong.

Top military officials, including Defense Minister Song Young-moo and Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Jeong Kyeong-doo, visited the funeral parlor to pay tribute to the pilots' willingness to defend Korea's airspace, and to comfort their families.

The F-15K fighter jet with Captain Choi and First Lieutenant Park aboard crashed into a mountain at 2:38PM on April 5, near a golf course in Chilgok, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province on its way back to Daegu Air Base after an aerial training mission.

The aircraft's black box was retrieved from the crash site on the morning of April 6, and the Air Force has launched a full investigation into the cause of the accident, with an emergency team led by the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff. 

By Sang-Yun, Kim < ksy0609@dema.mil.kr >

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